In general, devices using buttons, knobs, voice recognition functions, and integrated control units are used to operate automotive information appliances.
Recently, as advance driver assistance system (ADAS) and facilities are added for the convenience of drivers, more devices are used in vehicles for operating the ADAS system.
Buttons and knobs have been used as input units since the start of the automotive industry. The buttons and knobs are considered safe input units while driving and are intuitive and familiar to users. However, unlimited increase of the number of buttons to follow increasing automotive functions can be problematic. As control units become more complicated, drivers have to turn their attention to finding the control units when driving.
The voice recognition function is increasingly used in automotive input devices, with the development of IT, and is expected to be used for next generation of input devices. However, although the voice recognition functions are very advantageous for simple orders such as selecting a device, these functions can be disadvantageous for analog operations such as controlling the intensity of a fan.
On the other hand, in luxurious vehicles a wheel type of integrated control unit is usually mounted around the transmission selector. This type of integrated control unit is advantageous in minimizing the movement required by the driver. However, this control unit can be disadvantageous in that the depth of their User Interface (UI) is large in comparison to a touch screen, and therefore it is difficult for the driver to select functions and their operation time is long.
As described above, as the variety and number of control units increase with the increase of automotive functions, it becomes difficult to arrange the control units. In addition, as the control units become more complicated, drivers have to turn their attention to operating these units.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.